The Friday Face-Off was created by Books by Proxy, where each week bloggers can showcase books with covers centered around a weekly theme. You can visit Lynn’s Books for a list of upcoming themes. Join in the fun each Friday by finding a book whose cover is based on the theme!
This week’s theme: First fantasy book.
I don’t actually remember my first fantasy book? But I do remember a fairly early one so let’s go with that. The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart was the first time I realized just how powerful fantasy could be. I was enchanted by this Arthurian tale of Merlin’s origin story, and I believe I also read the sequel, The Hollow Hills. The book was originally published in 1970 so there are a lot of covers to choose from. Here are some of them:
Eos edition 2003 | William Morrow edition 1970 | UK edition 2012
Fawcett edition 1971 | Hodder edition (UK) 2006 | Portuguese edition 2002
Hodder edition 1970 | Coronet Books edition 1980 | French edition 2007
German edition 1998 | Portuguese edition 2017 | Spanish edition 1995
There are a lot of very classic, old school fantasy designs in this bunch! I’m very nostalgic about the 1971 Fawcett edition, because that is the one I read (although probably not in 1971, lol). But the cover that really draws my attention is the 2002 Portuguese edition, that’s my favorite:
This week it’s difficult to choose: there are many beautiful covers for this one…
My favorite would be the Portuguese edition of 2017. I guess we both like Portuguese covers this week.
I’d say your favorite is mine too. I really need to continue this series!
My fave is the 2017 Portuguese edition. I wonder why Portuguese editions keep turning up on my fave covers. Hm, maybe it’s a particular, popular Portuguese cover artist.
As soon as you said it’s an Arthurian legend tale and that you loved it, I added it to my Goodreads! Haha! Also, I think my favourite is the 1971 Fawcett edition! I love those oldie covers!
I like your choice. I also like the Hodder edition.
It has a lot of nice covers!
I’ve not heard of this book but it certainly has a lot of covers. I’m also drawn to the Portuguese one this week.
Lynn
I think the one you chose is the most interesting – I really like those old “caught in a moment” kind of covers!
I’ll pick the first cover, the Eos 2003 edition, though the one you picked is a close second for me. I’ve never read this one, but I do think I’ve heard folks talk about it. I think my first fantasy book was The Elfstones of Shannara followed soon after by The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
The Portuguese cover is my favorite too! And I honestly can’t remember which SFF book was my gateway book. I’m not talking all those folktales/ fairytales into account… so possibly Mollie Hunter’s The Haunted Mountain.